Shloka 9
Adharmic Victory as Unstable; Rules of Restraint, Mediation, and Conciliation (अधर्मविजय-अध्रुवत्व तथा क्षमा-नयः)
मर्यादां शाश्वतीं भिन्द्याद् ब्राह्णं योडभिलड्घयेत् । अथ चेल्लड्घयेदेव मर्यादां क्षत्रियत्रुव:
maryādāṁ śāśvatīṁ bhindyād brāhmaṇaṁ yo 'bhilaṅghayet | atha cel laṅghayed eva maryādāṁ kṣatriya-dhruvaḥ ||
Bhīṣma berkata: “Sesiapa yang melangkahi seorang Brāhmaṇa, dia memecahkan sempadan abadi tertib yang benar. Dan jika sempadan itu benar-benar dilanggar, maka Kṣatriya—teguh pada kewajipannya—wajib bertindak untuk memulihkan serta menegakkan batas itu.”
भीष्म उवाच
Educational Q&A
The verse teaches that violating the rightful limits (maryādā) by disrespecting or oppressing a Brāhmaṇa is a grave breach of enduring moral order, and that the Kṣatriya’s steadfast duty is to uphold and restore that order when it is crossed.
In Śānti Parva, Bhīṣma is instructing Yudhiṣṭhira on dharma and governance. Here he emphasizes the maintenance of social-ethical boundaries and the king/warrior’s responsibility to protect the established order when it is threatened by transgression.